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Welcome to The Weekly, a roundup of the top five auto industry headlines of the week.
BMW Chief says tariff concerns are ‘exaggerated’
BMW is brushing off tariff concerns, and insisting product strength will win out.
CEO Oliver Zipse says the industry’s reaction to President Trump’s new duties is “exaggerated,” even as BMW faces a 15% tariff on U.S. imports and a 30% EU levy on some Chinese EVs.
While Q2 net profit fell 32% to €1.8B and tariffs have already shaved two points off margins, BMW is holding its annual guidance—counting on its Spartanburg, SC plant and a 40-model rollout by 2027 to absorb the hit.
The message: Tariffs may sting, but BMW is betting that a deep, flexible lineup will keep customers buying.
This dealership hit 100% service absorption by turning every visit into a five-star experience
Classic Cadillac Subaru has hit 100% service absorption by running its fixed ops department like a Michelin-star kitchen.
Fixed ops director Chuck Turck trains his team to see every service interaction as a loyalty-building opportunity—turning “worst day” service visits into reasons customers never go elsewhere.
The playbook: Greet every customer by name, use video MPIs with technician incentives, fix problems immediately with no excuses, and thank people for positive reviews.
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Mercedes dealer boosts service conversions by 20% using connected car data
Benzel-Busch Mercedes-Benz has turned connected vehicle data into a fixed ops growth engine, and it’s driving more traffic, higher profits, and stronger retention.
How it works: Service director David Cerqueira’s team gets daily lead lists from Mercedes, showing exactly which owners need A/B service or brake work based on real-time vehicle data. The BDC jumps on those leads with texts, calls, and emails—converting 20% of customers within 30 days.
That precision targeting has expanded the dealership’s express lane beyond oil changes to recalls, brakes, and transmissions, and now handles 22% of total repair orders.
CARFAX warns of 45,000 flood-damaged cars entering the used market
CarFax says mid-year storms dumped up to 45,000 flood-damaged vehicles into the market on top of the 482,000 already on U.S. roads.
And they’re not staying local. Many resurface at auctions, through wholesalers, or in trades in states with no direct storm damage, like Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Jersey, and California.
The danger: These cars often look retail-ready but hide serious internal damage. With used demand still strong, speed in sourcing inventory can let them slip past inspections—especially in states that don’t brand titles for flood damage.
As tariff details remain murky—EU, Japan, South Korea scramble for clarity
Tariff deals are still murky for some of America’s biggest automotive trade partners.
The details:
Japan is pushing for the promised 15% tariff cut and clarity on other goods.
South Korea is still negotiating the timing for its tariff reduction.
And Germany’s auto industry warns 27.5% levies are hammering them hard.
Bottom line: The fog of tariff confusion is stalling automakers’ plans, and Trump’s negotiation tactics are keeping countries off balance.
Missed yesterday’s episode of Daily Dealer Live?
Presented by:
Kramer on pricing strategy, Niello on CRM shift Pt.2, Lindsay CDJR on Stellantis
Featured guests:
Brian Kramer, EVP of Dealer Growth and Success at Cars Commerce
Dennis Gingrich, Sales and Finance Director at The Niello Company
Nino Sita, General Manager at Lindsay Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
CarGurus is phasing out its CarOffer transactions business
Automotive Credit Corporation pauses new loan originations indefinitely
Amazon Autos is now selling used cars online
Group 1 continues acquisition streak with Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead
Union rift deepens as UAW locals seek to oust President Shawn Fain
